Healing Food for the Holiday Season

During this holiday season, try these suggested foods and it will help to keep you healthy for the coming new year. Remember, food is your medicine and it helps to keep the doctors away.

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In a couple of weeks it will be the start of the holiday season, and as we sit down with family and friends to give thanks and share the season together, lets remember to eat wisely and healthy. During the holiday season, people tend to over eat and fill their bodies with too much unhealthy, fat and processed food loaded with sugar, flour and starch. When you over eat with all these processed food, your bodies find it difficult to digest, because it is working on over drive, and as a result you end up with heart burn, acid reflux, indigestion, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

As we sit down to have our festive dinner here are a few suggested healthy healing food you should make a a part of your menu:

Sweet Potatoes-high in carotenes which helps to fight cancer. It helps to lower your cholestral levels because it contains plant sterols and pectin which lowers the bad cholesterol.This is an ideal food if you are dieting to help control your hunger pains because it is lower on the glycemic index. The sweet potatoes are creamy and sweet, and comes in two varieties, white and orange and much more healthy to eat than white potatoes. The orange potatoes contains the most nutrients with vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.

Lettuce-helps to promote sleep. It is a low calorie, high fiber food for anyone watching their weight. Romaine lettuce contains more vitamin c and beta carotene than Iceberg lettuce. These lettuce contains a large amount of folate, potassium and iron, and good for your heart and arterial health.

Tomatoes-one of the most healthy salad foods, because it contains lycopene, which protects against prostate cancer, and compounds to help prevent blood clots. It is also high in vitamin c and quercetin and lutien, which helps to prevent cataracts and keep your heart and eyes healthy.

Kale-contains one of the highest levels of antioxidants of all the vegetables with a high source of vitamin C. It is the most nutritious and rated as the highest vegetable with antioxidant on the ORAC scale. It contains more calcium and and iron than any other vegetable. Calcium helps to maintain healthy bones and it also protects your eyes.

Salmon-an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which helps to fight cancer and vitamin B-12 which helps protect against heart disease and anemia. It also helps to protect against cardiovascular disease and stroke, brain healthy and improve skin conditions like eczema.

Chicken-its best to buy free-range chicken. Scientist confirmed that chicken soup boost the immune system and help fight flu and cold. It also contains niacin which helps to protect against Alzheimers disease, B vitamin helps to release energy from your food.

Kidney beans,Black beans-low in fat, and helps to beat some cancer and reduce cholesterol. A very good source of vegetable protein and iron.

Basil, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Cilantro-all these spices contains its own benefits to heal the body. Basil helps to beat indigestion, nausea and stomach ache. Parsley is rich in vitamin c and iron. Rosemary very strong medicinal benefits which fights the symptoms of cold and flu, and also help prevent disease of aging. Sage is an antioxidant, antibacterial and helps to boost the memory. Eating sage helps in slowing down the aging process and minimize symptoms of arthritis and asthma. Oregano has the highest amount of antioxidant activity, it helps to prevent food poisoning bacteria and boost the immune system. Cilantro, my favorite herb, is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and can improve the blood cholesterol level and improve eye health.

Quinoa-higher in fat content which provides valuable amount of heart healthy fats. It also provide small amount of omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin E and low in calorie.

During these holiday season, try these suggested foods and it will help to keep you healthy for the coming new year. Remember, food is your medicine and it helps to keep the doctors away. This is a few of my healing foods for the holiday and coming new year.

Sr. Contributor: Beverly is a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition/SUNY Purchase as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Beverly practices a holistic approach to health and wellness... Change your diet Change your life.